Rotary engine.



No. 650,286. Pa t ented May 22,. I900. w. w. WATKINS. ROTARY ENGINE.

(Application fl led Jan. 18, 1898.)

(No Model.)

W/ 7N E 88/5 8 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIcE.

WILLIAM WVYNKOOP IVATKINS, OF YUMA, ARIZONA TERRITORYJ I ROTARY ENGINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 650,286, dated May 22, 1900.

Application filed January 18, 1898. Serial No. 667,106. (No model.)

The invention is embodied in the construe tion and combination of parts, as hereinafter specified.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side view of myinvention. Fig. 2 is a vertical central longitudinal section of the same. Fig. 3 is a central transverse section showing the arrangement of the valve and steam conduits or pipes. showing the arrangement of the steam conduits or pipes. V

The wheel proper (see Fig. 2) is a thick circular disk having a series of equidistant peripheral cups or pockets 2, which form recipients for the steam or other fluid used as a motive agent. This wheel 1 is mounted upon a horizonal shaft 3, that passes through and has its hearings in a casing 4., whose inner sides are parallel and close to the wheel, as shown in Fig. 2, and are extended upward at 5 to form a conduit for exhaust or waste steam. The shaft 3 is coupled with two alined shafts 6 by means of clutch-disks 7. On the outer ends of said shafts 6 are keyed sprocketwheels 8, upon which chain's (not shown) may run for driving some form of machinery. The shafts 6 are mounted in bearings 9, having antifriction-balls 1'0, and provided with openings for admitting a lubricant.

Steam is admitted to the casing and discharged upon the wheel 1 by means of a pipe 11, Fig. 3, having two branches 12 12,which extend a short distance around the periphery of the wheel and whose free ends open in close proximity to the same. Other branches 13 and 13 diverge laterally from the primary branches 12 and 12 and extend still farther around the wheel 1, the same opening at their free ends in line with the periphery of said Fig. 4 is a detail plan view,

wheel, as shown in Figs. 2, 3, and 4. It will be seen that steam may thus be deliverd or caused to impinge on the wheel 1 at opposite points-that is to say, at two points on the upper and lower sides.

For controlling admission of steam I employ the two-way rotary valve 14., Fig. 3, which is arranged at the junction of pipe 11 and its primary branches 12 and 12'. As shown, said valve is adapted to shut off admission of steam to the lower branches 12 and 13 and permit its passage to and through the upper ones, 12 and 13, and thus upon the upper side of the wheel 1, whereby the latter is driven to the left or in the direction indicated by arrows, Fig. 3. It is obvious that by reversing the valve 14 or rotating it more than half-way around the upper pipe branches 12 and 13 will be closed and the lower ones, 12 and 13, opened, so that the rotation of the wheel will be reversed. The nozzle or discharge end of each of the four steam pipes or conduits is in such local relation to the wheel 1 as to discharge steam into the cups 2, and the latter being narrower at their outer ends or months than their middle they catch and hold the steam momentarily, so that a maximum propulsive effect is produced without hindrance to free release or escape of the steam.

The means for rotating the valve 14 are the following: The shaft 15 projects laterally through the casing at and is held in suitable bearings. A hand-lever 17 is affixed to an internally-toothed gear 18, which incloses and meshes withapinion 19, keyed on astub-shaft 15, having its bearings in the side of the cas ing 4. and carrying the valve 14, which is keyed on its inner end. The said gear 18 has radiating arms, and its hub is keyed on a shaft having bearings 16, forming part of a pedestal or vertical support 16. The said lever 17 is provided with a spring-pawl 20, that has a lockin g engagement with the rackbar 21. j

'What I claim is The improved rotary en gine,co1nprising the rotary wheel having peripheral cups, the cas ing 4. having spaces formed in extensions thereof above and below said wheel,- the main steam-conduit 11, the two short, oppositely .2, amass diverging pipes 12 and 12, and the longer atthe junction of the shorterpipes, as shown pipes Band 13, opening out of anddivergand described. ing laterally from said shorter pipes, and extending forward around the wheel, zillvthe said pipes having their nozzles orv mouths in line Witnesses: with and'in close proximity to the periphery MABEL MORRIS, of the wheel, and therotary Valve 14, arranged F. L. EWING.

WILLIAM WYNKOOP WATKINS. 

